MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE

Improving noise reduction

The Silentwood project has developed sophisticated noise-reducing wall panels and doors. In addition to spurring growth and jobs in the doors/panels application sector, Silentwood will provide direct economic and health benefits to the EU.Read more »

EuResist - Enhancing HIV treatment with more precise patient modeling

HIV is not curable but it is treatable, states Dr Francesca Incardona, CEO of EuResist Network GEIE and research area manager at Informa Srl, the SME responsible for coordinating the EuResist project.
Read more »

SILCO - Doing away with bacteria in water systems

The SILCO project has developed an innovative monitoring device that senses the elimination process of complex bacterial communities
known as biofilm and unsafe bacteria from drinking water systems. The prototype successfully killed legionella bacteria at a natural source spa in SlovakiaRead more »

FIRELI - New hose equipment to increase safety of firemen

Every year, fires affect large areas of forest in Europe - mostly in the Mediterranean countries, where an average of
around 500,000 hectares are destroyed annually. That is the equivalent of 50 times the land area of Paris.
The economic cost is estimated at between €600 and €800 million per year.Read more »

Smart irrigation technology set to reduce costs and save water

Due in large part to inefficient water irrigation systems, the agriculture industry wastes 60% of the water it uses each year, or 70% of the world's freshwater. WaterBee has developed a smart irrigation system to reduce this wastage, thereby saving money and increasing both crop quality and yield.
Read more »

NANORAY - A portable x-ray machine

X-ray technology has existed for more than 100 years, but in spite of repeated efforts no one has found a way of solving the problems involved
in making X-ray machines portable. Now, thanks to an innovative European Union (EU) funded multinational research project, that breakthrough has
at last been achieved.
Read more »

CleanHatch - New high-tech solution to clean fish hatcheries

Due to increased market pressure to produce high quality and low cost fish, the aquaculture industry has been forced to develop technologies that reduce the level of risk to investors yet maintain reliable production output.
Read more »

Let there be sight

Transplanting the human cornea (1) can enable a blind person to see. But it requires the perfect human donor match and there are no guarantees of success. A group of EU-funded SMEs and researchers, however, has developed an artificial cornea that offers failed transplant patients a potentially life-changing alternative.
Read more »

Publications

Downloadable publications

‘SME Update’ Newsletter - 2008 onwards

From January 2008 the format changed from a static quarterly newsletter to an interactive, online resource for all SMEs
eager to learn more about research opportunities in Europe. Being online is also more environmentally friendly. You print off what you need, when you need
it.

‘SME Update’ Newsletter - 2000-2005

This free four-page quarterly newsletter, published by the European Commission’s Research Directorate-General,
contains news, opinion, statistics and advice on how SMEs can take part in European research projects, as well as examples of successful projects.

SMEs in FP6. Sharing in Europe's future

This 24 page brochure provides a unique overview of how SMEs can become involved in research initiatives under FP6 across all instruments.
In addition case studies for each instrument showing the variety of ways in which SMEs and their trade associations are already benefiting are presented.
It also describes the dedicated assistance available to help them participate. EN

SMEs in STREPS under FP6

This 19 page brochure explains how SMEs can become involved in STREPS (Specific Targeted Research Projects) which have particular advantages for SMEs. Actual examples of STREPs are presented to demonstrate the many positive experiences and tangible benefits that SMEs gain through their participation in such projects.EN

How to join a running IP

This leaflet highlights the advantages and opportunities for SMEs to join a running IP. Two examples of competitive calls are described.EN

FP6 projects for SMEs, Volume 1

Co-operative Research projects are one of two distinct
types of project supported by the Horizontal Research
Activities Involving SMEs of the EU's Sixth Framework
Programme (FP6 2002-2006). They enable transnational
consortia of SMEs with shared research needs, which they
are unable to fulfil themselves, to outsource the required
work to "research
performers.

Collective Research projects are one of two distinct
types of project supported by the Horizontal Research
Activities Involving SMEs of the EUs Sixth Framework
Programme (FP6 2002-2006). They are designed to improve
the competitiveness of large communities of SMEs by expanding
their knowledge base through research and development
related to widely-shared technological, environmental,
safety or standards issues.

The Commission has published three folders containing profiles of 77 projects from the first FP6 calls, prepared in the months immediately following their official launch.

Connected and competitive: SMEs and Integrated Projects in FP6

This 24-page brochure demonstrates the practical benefits of SME participation in FP6’s Integrated Projects, both for SMEs themselves and for their research partners. It also considers some of the special requirements for securing wide, full and effective SME involvement. The publication draws heavily on the experience of seven actual Integrated Projects. These case studies show that Integrated Projects are not only accessible to SMEs but in fact offer them even greater opportunities than previous funding mechanisms. EN

SME Success Stories

The European Commission has so far published five folders of SME Success Stories, presenting 150 Co-operative research (formerly CRAFT) projects completed under the Third, Fourth and Fifth EU Research Framework Programmes.

Complete electronic versions of the last three folders can be downloaded here in PDF format: